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Forty-one years after 16-year-old Theresa Fusco was found raped and murdered near a Lynbrook roller rink, Nassau County prosecutors announced an indictment in what should be read as a victory for victims and for American ingenuity. Authorities say DNA taken from a discarded smoothie straw matched genetic material recovered from Fusco’s body, leading to the arrest of 63-year-old Richard Bilodeau. For hardworking Americans who never stopped demanding answers, this development proves that the march of science can still correct the tragedies of the past.
The Fusco case is also a painful reminder that our justice system can fail—three men were wrongly convicted and spent years behind bars before DNA exonerated them in 2003, triggering multi-million dollar settlements and exposing misconduct. Conservatives should be first in line to defend the wrongly accused, but let’s be clear: defending the innocent and demanding accountability for corrupt investigators are two sides of the same coin. If we want safe communities and fair courts, we must insist both on rigorous evidence and harsh consequences for those who subvert justice.
How the break came about ought to restore faith in modern policing and forensic science: detectives kept surveillance on a new suspect and, in February 2024, recovered a discarded cup and straw he allegedly used, yielding DNA that matched the decades-old evidence. This is the exact kind of persistence and smart, technical policing taxpayers should applaud—no flashy headlines, just patient, methodical work that finally connected the dots. America should fund and celebrate forensic advances that help bring victims’ families the closure they deserve.
At his arraignment the defendant pleaded not guilty and was remanded to county jail, facing charges that carry up to 25 years to life if a jury convicts him. Conservatives must respect the presumption of innocence while also standing firm on law and order: if the evidence holds up in court, the full weight of justice should follow. The system must work for victims and must be strong enough to withstand the political pressure and sloppy policing that allowed past miscarriages.
Theresa’s father and the Lynbrook community have spent decades with this wound open, and their reaction—equal parts sorrow and relief—should remind every American what’s at stake when criminals evade justice. We owe it to families like the Fuscos to see investigations through and to support the relentless detectives who refused to let this case die. Let that resolve serve as a call to action for communities and lawmakers alike: fund cold-case units, prioritize DNA backlogs, and stop the revolving-door politics that undercuts public safety.
This moment is not about partisan applause but about practical patriotism: defend the innocent, punish the guilty, and keep investing in the tools that make justice possible. If politicians want to posture, let them; real Americans want results—closure for victims, accountability for bad actors, and better-backed police work so fewer families suffer for decades. Stand with victims, demand accountability from prosecutors and police alike, and support the scientific advances that keep our neighborhoods safe.
